Three words I never thought would ever be associated with me: Hall of Fame.
The World Film Communities Network selected me into its Hall of Fame earlier this year. Whenever I think of Hall of Fame, baseball, football, NASCAR, hockey and basketball come to mind. During my 26 years as a sportswriter with the Biloxi Sun Herald, I wrote countless stories on hall of famers. The WFCN picked me as a Hall of Famer. I'm a award-winning screenwriter by International Movie DataBase. I do a good job. Me as a Hall of Famer, okay I'll take it. Thank you, WFCN. I'll make you proud.
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7/17/2024 0 Comments Landing the biggest achievementI've won numerous screenplay contests over the last decade, but no recognition is more important than the Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards.
I was a Quarterfinalist for "Hold You Tight" in the Winter Competition of LAISA, as many call the hugely popular film festival. From what I was told, LAISA is the only screenplay competition founded by a team of working Hollywood professionals with over 1,000 produced credits and a century of collective industry experience. With a group of Senior Judges that comprises Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and WGA Award Winners, I'm overjoyed that my biopic of 1990's two-hit wonder Tara Kemp was thought so highly of. I originally submitted to LAISA three years ago but I can't remember what I submitted to them. The only thing I remembered was that the screenplay did not get selected. I know we've got a long ways to go before "Hold You Tight" advances toward the film production (namely Tara Kemp's blessing), at least I'm headed toward the right direction. 7/10/2024 0 Comments Bio picking a movie starAn opportunity may have knocked at my door on July 8, and I appear stuck in quicksand.
Several months ago, I reached out to an R & B legendary group for a possible biopic. When their manager gave me an email address, I made contact and moved on. I treated the situation like a job interview, do the process and wait for a phone call down the road. Suddenly, the email came after a difficult day at the office. I told the subject we'd talk soon, and they looked forward to that. While the subject took their time in responding, I will do the same and come up with something in the near future. If things develop properly, I will reveal the people. 6/26/2024 0 Comments Happy Fourth of JulyThe Fourth of July has become a relevant holiday again for me. For the first 26 years as a working journalist, I had to work Independence Day. I never complained, figuring I had a job and friends always brought me barbecue chicken, ribs and baked beans.
For the last seven years, I've eaten hometown, family barbecue, compliments of my older sister who continued the family tradition. On some of these years, my younger brother made the hour-long drive to Selma and bought me food. In recent years, I made the day-long trek and returned for my annual fireworks. While I didn't get to see everyone, at least these eyes saw the major family members. Happy Fourth of July! 6/26/2024 0 Comments Love my IMDB card, but not doneHaving a IMDB.com card officially means I'm an award-winning screenwriter. I am glad to see compliments from friends and family on social media.
However, I won't be satisfied until I get an opportunity of translating my writing to the film process. I know several screenwriters exist that are waiting their chance and I'm one of many warming up in the bullpen. All I need is an opportunity from a film studio to get rights for a couple of biopics. One of my scripts, Sgt. Classified, is a variation of "An Officer and A Gentleman" and "When Harry Met Sally." I'll try to remain patient awaiting my big break. 6/19/2024 0 Comments Happy 40th anniversary NightwingEighty-five years ago, my favorite superhero was created. Robin, the boy wonder, was created in 1939 and made his debut a year later. When I was old enough to watch cartoons via "Batman" and all variations of The Super Friends," I quickly became a fan of Dick Grayson, as the boy wonder or teen wonder.
Forty years ago, DC Comics made the wise move of getting Grayson away from being Robin and Batman's shadow. Nightwing, a character inspired by Superman, was born. Until 1998, Nightwing remained limited to graphic novels. When Grayson appears on TV, it is as Nightwing, not Robin. A movie about Nightwing was in development but has now been shelved. I thought we were headed that way when Chris O'Donnell played Robin when George Clooney was Batman. Chris had the look of nightwing, except the cape. I'm a screenwriter and I definitely have ideas on how the movie about Nightwing can be made. A Dick Grayson movie should be among the next superhero movies to get made. Twenty-five years ago, a newspaper colleague predicted the newspaper business would come to an end someday. I laughed at him, saying there was no way newspapers would go out of style. The world will always need a newspaper, I replied. Flash forward to the presence, it appears he was right and I'm wrong. Given my track record on being right all of the time, I would have taken that bet. Guess there's a first time for everything. Especially being shut out of a Statewide press association contest. I got shutout in the few entries of the Alabama contest. The person who judged my division of other newspapers fell in love with Cullman, who cleaned up everything. The only time I was shutout back in Mississippi when the people did not place my entries nor nominate me. I usually grab one or two prizes. If that's the way it supposed to end, find me another day job to work on my screenwriting at night. I'm too old for this. The New Jersey Film Awards has played a big role in my development as a screenwriter.
I have now won back-to-back best screenwriting contests. For the month of May, I won Best Adapted Screenplay for "Tiffin," based on a book by Tom Lipsanti. Winning means a lot because Pamela Tiffin, who died in 2020, was one of my favorite actresses in the 1960's who never got her due. At the end of winter in February, I won best Feature Screenplay for "Hold You Tight," my biopic of 1990's white-soul singer Tara Kemp. Going even further, my three previous screenplays were judged by New Jersey Film Awards. Two years ago, "Legal Passion" was an official selection. At the 2023 awards to close winter and spring, "A Summer Surprise" and "Sargeant Classified" each were Honorable Mention selections. While I did not win either of those contests, being a runner-up meant something. I was a finalist. Most important of all. the New Jersey Film Awards is an International Movie Database Qualifier. 5/29/2024 0 Comments Memoralizing Memorial DayMemorial Day is the holiday known for the unofficial kickoff to summer. For me, the federal holiday takes on a different meaning.
One, the last Monday in May serves as a re-set to my career. I was exiled from the Mississippi Gulf Coast six years ago and landed in Selma. I had no idea that I would stay this long. For someone who accomplished as much as I have, I needed another creative outlet. Two, honoring our military branches who sacrificed their lives in the historic World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam. Having dated three of the four major branches, Army, Navy and Air Force always gave me a unique perspective on the military. Three, I don't need an excuse to eat Full Moon Barbecue or any chicken, ribs, baked beans and French fries. Since I did a little work on the holiday, I'm treating myself to Full Moon this weekend. 5/15/2024 0 Comments Graduations served their purposeGraduation season brings a mixed bowl of emotions for me. Each provided different set of challenges.
Holt High School in 1988 ended a long road with me for most of the class. Many of them I began kindergarten at Cottondale Elementary School and went through 12th grade. Others i joined up at seventh grade and went through the next five years. Of course, the bond was stronger with the Cottondale kids than the Holt Elementary ones, although I love them dearly. Only one person joined me at Stillman College, which came with a new set of friends, One-third of the Class of 1992 did not make it. Others graduated at other places. I look back and smile with pride over my two graduations. I ended up with 3.2 GPA in high school and college, finding a stellar newspaper career of 32 years. |
AuthorJK Jones' writing career began as a junior at Holt High in 1986 as as Sports Editor of the Purple Reign, the school's newspaper until graduating in 1988. It opened the door to a long and successful sports writing career. As an author, several of Jones' E-books were best sellers. Jones has shown promise during the early stages of screenwriting. Jones' short screenplay, Instant Replay, was accepted by the Cannes Latitude Film Festival in 2016. Jones' most recent screenplay, False Start, was selected to the Chihuahua International Film Festival in November, 2019. For more information, visit https://www.scriptrevolution.com/profiles/jk-jones. Archives
July 2024
IMDB Qualifying First-place awards |